Diffraction gratings are generally used to spatially separate a spectrum of incident radiation. In some applications it is desirable to limit the effective range of the grating so that unwanted wavelengths of incident light do not interfere with or degrade the performance of the optical system. Traditionally, this spectrum trimming is done with one or more external filtering components. Generally, in prior art systems in which diffraction gratings and filtering components are employed, the diffraction grating and the filter are separate components. This can result in an optical system that is unnecessarily large and/or complex.
Improved components, systems, and methods making use of optical filters and diffraction gratings would be desirable.